Busy Bees, Stotfold
Good★ 4.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Stotfold, Hitchin for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 2008, with 64 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Central Bedfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Central Bedfordshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
SG5 4LDWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 31 December 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 30 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled at this home-from-home nursery. Staff take time to get to know children and their families well, with a focus on building strong attachments. Leaders and staff greet children and their families warmly and talk to them about the day ahead. As a result of these positive interactions, children feel safe and secure and have a strong sense of belonging.
Staff carefully consider the learning environment and ensure that each area supports children's specific learning needs. The youngest children use low-level furniture to support their early walking skills. Staff provide toddlers with opportunities to develop their motor skills. Children use scoops and jugs as they explore the sand, and staff are on hand to reinforce newly learned vocabulary, such as 'tip' and 'pour'. Staff are positive role models. They take every opportunity to praise children's good behaviour. Staff say, 'Well done for sharing,' and acknowledge when children manage to achieve a personal goal. This supports children's understanding of the behaviours that are expected of them and boosts their self-confidence. Staff spend much of their time playing alongside children, using opportunities to extend children's learning. As children confidently count the number of beads on the abacus, staff introduce more advanced mathematical concepts, such as 'one more' and 'one less'. Positive interactions such as these contribute to children making good progress in their learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- implement strategies to support smoother transitions between activities, to help children to stay engaged and focused at all times n support staff to consistently adhere to and maintain hygiene routines, to help children to learn healthy practices.
- 30 January 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 10 April 2019Good
- 9 May 2018Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Busy Bees, Stotfold
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.